I did not get the chance to shoot the Little Badger, but I kind of want one now… if it were made by any other company, I would already have one. It is just the most elemental gun I have seen in a very long time, and everything about it trips my giggle switch. Functionally, the downward break on the action makes it easier to reload, but the handguard runs into the trigger guard, making it impossible to fold past a narrow V. Likewise, the wire stock’s profile makes using the iron sights… challenging, and it has this silly not-quite-Picatinny rail segment right behind the trigger guard that could have been a nice spot for an AFG or something, but since it is not to-spec, it is useless.

But, still, at $170? That is almost a toy. And it is light and seemingly durable enough to be tossed into a range bag just for the fun of it, and would make a great trainer rifle.

The sight, though… I am unimpressed, and at a $1600 price tag, I know you can do better. I think we had one of the IR models, so I cannot judge the laser, but the holosight was nothing to write home about, and that silly cable attached to a massive pressure switch that seemed to turn off the red dot… when you pushed it. Let go of the switch, and the holosight comes back on. How does that make sense?

(Original image property of Oleg Volk. Used and abused with permission.)

5 comments to little honey badger

Between this thing and the Rhino, I am greatly at risk of becoming a Chiappa fan, which means I need to ask you to clarify the statement “if it were made by any other company, I would already have one” before I do(buy) something I might regret.

@ Volfram: Chiappa has had… issues… in the past. If nothing else, look up the Rhino’s comprehensive and far-too-long-lasting trigger problems and inconsistencies, along with the general unreliability of that particular platform.

Now, in this particular case, it is hard to screw up a break-action .22… but they made some strange design choices, like that useless Picatinny rail, and having the trigger hammer exposed in the slot the hammer rotates back into – all kinds of crap can get in there and bind it up, making the gun useless. And that little round holder on the stock? Useless for anything more than photo-ops.